The squat has been and always will be a staple thigh exercise. It works a lot of muscle, burns a bunch of calories and most importantly, delivers tremendous results.
The Set-Up:
- To perform the squat, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Point the toes out about 30-degrees. This will open up the hips and allow for a more natural squatting position.
- Don’t stand with your feet too close together or parallel to each other. This limits how far down you can squat and places a great deal of stress on the knees.
- Bend your knees slightly to start. This will take pressure off the lower back.
- Looking straight ahead, keep your head up with your jaw parallel to the floor.
- Keep a straight back while maintaining a natural arch in the lower back. Do not overexaggerate the arch and do not let the lower back round out.
- A simple trick to maintaining proper form is to keep your head up. Where your head goes, your body follows. If you lower your chin, your back will round over, putting too much stress on the lower back.
- The weight should be felt in the heels of your feet.
Performing The Movement:
- Begin the movement by bending the knees.
- At the same time, let your hips move back and allow your upper body lean forward to maintain balance.
- Your upper back should remain flat and the lower back arched slightly.
- Continue the descent slowly and under control.
- Keep the weight on the heels.
- Your knees should remain behind the toes – just above the top of the foot. Doing this will make sure the thighs – not your knees – are supporting the weight.
- Remember to keep the chin up.
- Stop the descent when your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
- Do not pause at the bottom. As soon as you hit the bottom position, drive back up by pushing through the heels.
- Make sure you push evenly. Do not allow one leg to dominate the press up.
- Keep your upper body strong. As you return to the starting position, your upper body should straighten up.
- Remember to keep your eyes forward and chin parallel to the floor. Do not lower your chin and look down at the floor.
- A common mistake people make when performing the squat is not getting the hips back far enough. You need to stick your butt out as you do the squat. If you don’t, you’ll notice your bodyweight shifting to the toes. Your knees will move past the toes and your heels may lift right off the floor. These are all signs that you’re performing the movement incorrectly. Over time, this can – and often does – lead to knee pain.
